See how the faithful city has become a harlot!
She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her-
but now murderers!
Your silver has become dross,your choice wine is diluted with water.
Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves;
they all love bribes and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
the widow's case does not come before them.
Wow this sounds like something someone could say right now on the streets of America! Instead it comes from Isaiah 1:21-23. I have been reading Isaiah as my bed time reading for a little while now and as I came to a verse I wanted clarification on I started researching what others were writing or saying about the book of Isaiah. Then today I discover that Kay Arthur (whose precept studies I love) has been doing a series on Isaiah for her weekly show. This must be a sign that I'm suppose to delve into this book more deeply.
America was founded on Christian principles but would we know it if we looked across the fruited plain today? We have left our first love. As you start to delve in to Isaiah it amazes me how accurate it is to not just America but the Church in America today. It starts with God saying:
I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
v.2
We have rebelled and I think the book of Isaiah can teach us a few things about what that means. The only way we can move this nation forward is if we take a hard look at ourselves, repent and move forward. God is calling us back into a deeper relationship with him. He is jealous for our attention.
I think I'm going to order Kay's first part of Isaiah and spend the next months studying what there is to learn from him in great detail so there will be more to follow.
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8 comments:
steph - the web has a wealth of information also.
here's a wealth of studies on isaiah - he was my personal prophet for quite awhile a few years ago. one of the worthiest studies i've ever done - one reason is just when you think you "know it all", it takes a new twist to keep you interested - kind of like a marriage!
nanc you are the best if you were close by I'd hug you! I'm really excited about Isaiah. I've been lingering about it for a while but haven't really sat down with a structured study and I think it's time thanks for the info.
i thumbtacked this one to my wall beside my bed at our cabin and went to sleep reading it and awakened to it everyday for a few years:
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
when i think of what HE did for me, i remain awestruck and cannot imagine being more in love! my husband is the other man in my life...i am a scoundrel without either.
I am called by Ezekiel 33...heavy responsibility...but HE set us in each others paths to strengthen and encourage one another!
I like Matthew Henry's commentary on Isaiah 52:8,
"They(the watchmen) shall see an exact agreement and correspondence between the prophecy and the events, the promise and the performance; they shall see how they look upon another eye to eye, and be satisfied that the same G*D spoke the one and did the other."
In the last watchtower vision I had, I was very aware of the other watchmen...I guess it is time to start "seeing" and communicating with one another!
tmw
The Church now in America will not endure much persecution for one has a hard time distinquishing it from the World. The statement given by Satan when tempting the Lord Jesus is common now from the pulpits of many churches, calling upon the congregation to bow down and worship these false shepherds in exchange for promises of wealth. I believe at the moment of the rapture many of these Churches filled with the spiritually dead will be full to capacity. Shalom, Baruch Ha Ba B'Shem Adonai
Great blog you have here, I really enjoyed reading it.
Rodney-Too true, and how sad.
tmw
GREAT blog thank you for your work and study..your blogs are truly inspirational
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